Barbering Training Courses
How to Find the Best One Near Andover Kansas
Since you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Andover KS, the task begins to locate and select the ideal one. Since barbers are required to be licensed in all 50 states, the college you choose should prep you to pass the licensing exam and provide the proper training for your specialty. When you start your preliminary search, you might be a little bit puzzled about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Since the names are in effect interchangeable and pertain to the same kind of school, you shouldn’t be. You will want to find a campus that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you can relocate for training. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when evaluating possible barber schools. But keep in mind, a school is not always the best option simply because it has the lowest tuition or is located closest to your home. Reputation and accreditation, as examples are two of the other qualifications that you should look into when weighing your school options. We will go over what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about barbering as a career.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Barbering Career Below
Why Become a Barber?
Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities. As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any Andover KS barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable. The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients. And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair. This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Below is a list of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Andover KS residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will most likely be your first qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Following we have put together several of those supplemental questions that you should ask every school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make sure that the barber school you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Andover KS businesses will not employ recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Great Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews together with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any contacts with Andover KS barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Kansas school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your vision is to launch a barber shop in Andover KS, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering skills and techniques demands lots of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber courses you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a Andover KS barber college offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that he or she receives assistance in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer assistance maintain relationships with local employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and inquire which Andover KS area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Available? Many barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students also. If a school meets all of your other qualifications except for expense, do not omit it as an option until you learn what financial assistance may be provided in Andover KS.
Find Out More on Becoming a Barber in Andover
Choose the Best Andover Barber College
Picking and enrolling in the right barber training program is imperative to obtain the necessary training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then utilize that data to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Andover Kansas.